Wakayama
Description
Wakayama Prefecture in Japan has a long history of blade production including professional scissors. Learn about its craftsmen and role in the Japanese shear industry.
Wakayama (和歌山, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan)
Quick look
- Country: Japan
- Distinction: Home to TWO major scissors innovators with world-first achievements
- Key companies: Kikui Scissors (菊井シザース, est. 1953) and Hayashi Scissors (ハヤシ・シザース)
- World firsts: First cobalt alloy scissors (Kikui, 1973); first HRC 67 scissor steel (Hayashi, HYS-MAX67)
- Production model: Built-to-order (Kikui, 100% since 2001); proprietary powder metallurgy (Hayashi)
Why it matters
Wakayama Prefecture sits outside the Seki City ecosystem that dominates Japanese scissors production, and that independence has produced remarkable innovation. The prefecture is home to two manufacturers who each hold legitimate world-first claims in scissor metallurgy — Kikui Scissors and Hayashi Scissors. Between them, Wakayama houses both the world’s first cobalt alloy scissors and the world’s hardest scissor steel.
This makes Wakayama essential to any serious account of scissors manufacturing, even though its total production volume is modest compared to Seki’s output. What Wakayama lacks in scale, it compensates for in material science breakthroughs that have influenced the entire industry.
Key manufacturers / brands
Kikui Scissors (菊井シザース) was founded in 1953 and achieved a landmark in 1973 with the development of the world’s first cobalt alloy scissors. Cobalt alloys allowed for harder, more wear-resistant blades that held their edge significantly longer than conventional stainless steels. Since 2001, Kikui has operated on a 100% built-to-order model — every pair is manufactured to the individual stylist’s specifications. This approach represents the opposite end of the production spectrum from mass manufacturing and reflects a philosophy where each scissors is treated as a bespoke tool.
Hayashi Scissors (ハヤシ・シザース) has pushed scissor metallurgy even further with its proprietary HYS powder metallurgy process. The company’s HYS-MAX67 steel achieves a Rockwell hardness of HRC 67 — an industry first for scissors. For context, most premium Japanese scissors operate in the 58–65 HRC range. Reaching 67 while maintaining the toughness needed for a functional cutting tool is an extraordinary metallurgical achievement. Powder metallurgy produces a more uniform carbide distribution than conventional steelmaking, which is what makes these extreme hardness levels possible without unacceptable brittleness.
Wakayama’s role in the industry
Wakayama demonstrates that significant innovation in scissors manufacturing can happen outside established clusters. Neither Kikui nor Hayashi needed Seki’s infrastructure or bungyosei system to achieve their breakthroughs. Their work has expanded the material boundaries of what a scissors can be, and their steel innovations have influenced how the broader industry thinks about blade hardness and edge retention.
| See also: Seki City | Takarazuka | Steel Types |